“The bridge will be opened, but not against anyone, rather for the benefit of all of us,” Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti underlined during today’s visit to North Mitrovica.
Kurti, accompanied by two ministers, stopped by the newly opened fast-food restaurant on Mitrovica’s promenade as part of his tour.
The atmosphere was charged following the arrest of Serbian Democratic Party leaders Aleksandar Arsenijević and Ivan Orlović, who were detained during a protest on the promenade.
This action prompted significant discontent among local residents and nearby apartment residents. The entire city was under the watch of Kosovo Police’s Special Unit forces.
Responding to media inquiries, Kurti downplayed any sense of hostility from the local population.
“I didn’t feel that the citizens here dislike it when officials from Priština visit,” Kurti remarked, adding that his role was not to divide people by ethnicity or religion but to serve everyone without discrimination.
When questioned about compensating for the services lost due to the closure of provisional organs and other institutions, Kurti directed concerns to the local authorities.
“This is handled by the local municipality and the police.” He assured that citizens with issues should address them to the relevant authorities, emphasizing that the mayor, Erden Atić, is always ready to address and resolve public grievances.
Regarding the contentious issue of the bridge’s opening, Kurti reinforced his stance that the move is not aimed against any group.
“Freedom of movement must be respected,” he asserted. The bridge, agreed upon in the Brussels agreement of 2016, was slated for opening by 2017, Kurti stressed.
“It will be opened, but not against anyone, rather for the benefit of all of us.”
He emphasized that the opening is about improving economic conditions and facilitating the flow of goods and capital, not about excluding any ethnic group.
„We do not want to build a bridge against the Serbs; quite the opposite! We want both Serbs, Bosniaks, and Albanians to be able to move freely across that bridge.“
Kurti also announced plans for a new park near the recently closed building in Bosniak Mahala, aimed at enhancing green space and community enjoyment.
“New buildings should be constructed here, along with new spaces with greenery,” he said.
On the topic of future negotiations in Brussels, Kurti expressed uncertainty about upcoming meetings, stating, “I don’t know if there will be a meeting, and if there is, I don’t know when it will happen or on what subject.”
He reiterated the need for the implementation of agreements, criticizing Serbia for not recognizing the agreements they had accepted.
“I think we should respect and implement the Basic Agreement,” he concluded during his brief media address, after which he held a meeting with the Mayor of North Mitrovica, Erden Atić, in the municipal building.
Srpska Demokratija Party Leaders Detained For Several Hours Amid Kurti’s Visit to N.Mitrovica
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